Back to Business with your Bowel Habits

Posted 20.09.18

The Summer is over and we are back to business with school, work and dare I say it…the lead up to Christmas….gulp! But are you back to business with your bowel habits?

Life has a way of getting busy. When that happens, our healthy routines go out the window. This month, I am here to remind you of bowel habits that you can put in place to encourage a happy digestive system.

Healthy bowel habits that you make a decision to do every time you go to the loo will become sub-conscious. You will do them without thinking. The sooner you recognise a bad habit, the sooner you can replace it with a better one. So without further ado, here are my six better bowel habits that I’d like you to install ASAP!

Don’t Ignore The Urge To Poo!

Do you put off a poo when the urge strikes? Perhaps you’re at work, or running around after the kids at home? Maybe you’re embarrassed to go in a public loo, so you hold it in and wait until you’re safe in your own home.

Believe it or not, no one knows what you do on the loo…. or cares for that matter!! It’s natural and we all have to do it. So if you feel the need to go, let it happen and your bowels will thank you for it. If it’s embarrassment about a smell that’s stopping you, look out for those sprays you can put down the loo to disguise it. Simple.

Remember, Don’t Rush.

Once you’re on the toilet, don’t rush and try to force it out in two seconds. Take time to let your body relax and do what it’s meant to do. Excessive straining can lead to more problems. If you feel you can’t go – stop, go away and drink some more water and wait for your body to decide it’s really ready (also see my next point all about relaxing!). A good poo should be simple and effortless.

Squatting Potty Positioning.

The design of your toilet actually hinders rather than helps a good bowel habit. It encourages us to lean forwards when we sit on there. Then add onto that how we read, email, text or play games while we’re doing the deed. It all adds up to the worst position for doing a poo.

Leaning forwards on the loo can lead to you not completely emptying your bowel. The position makes you crush your colon, which stops an effective evacuation from happening and also traps wind. You end up straining too, which can lead to further constipation and/or haemorrhoids.

The best way to make sure you have a really good poo is to sit comfortably on the toilet. Lean back and place your legs up on a small stool so that your knees are higher than your bottom. This opens up your colon and allows your bowels to empty fully. If you don’t have a small stool but there’s a small bin, use this instead. Or raise your feet up onto tiptoes (if you’re out in public without anything at all).

Having a good knowledge of what you are passing when you go to the toilet is important. It’s a good indicator of how your digestive system is doing. It can even give pointers about your general health. Simple clues like the harder your stool is, the longer it’s been in your system, might mean you need more fibre. Or too much diarrhoea could show a food intolerance or IBS.

Flushing without checking is like watching a murder mystery and not finding out who the murderer is!!

Always Wash Your Hands Afterwards!

Standard procedure you may think….but how many times when you’re rushing do you think it’s ok to miss out that step?

After using the toilet, you could have up to 200 million bacteria per square inch on your hands. And don’t think a simple swish under the water will do! You need to lather up with soap and rub all over for at least 15 seconds before rinsing.

Don’t even think about what you are transferring to your phone if you’re taking that to the loo at the same time (gets out antibacterial wipes)…

Nice Loo Paper…The Cherry on Top!

The best bowel habit is to have some nice loo paper – after all, you’re worth it!!

There’s nothing worse than a scratchy loo roll! Treat your bum to some luxury and enjoy the experience.

Don’t make the loo a place of embarrassment. Furnish it with your favourite things and make it your favourite room in the house. A little corner of calm. You’ll relax easier, your body will relax and you’ll have an effective poo.

Which I think is the most important thing you can do all day.

So how many of those habits do you think you could incorporate into your daily life to make going to the loo more enjoyable and ultimately more healthy?!

Not only will your digestive system thank you for adding in some better bowel habits. But your health will too – with a clean system helping your body work as efficiently as possible.

If you’re struggling with any digestive complaints, I am always here for a free chat about how I could help you – contact me here.

If you have any questions about what other services I offer, take a look at my list of therapies and see if there is something else you fancy – you can see the full list here .